Well, folks, it’s not every day a tech titan like Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has to eat crow, but here we are.
His recent suggestion that President Trump deploy the National Guard to San Francisco to tackle crime stirred up a hornet’s nest, and now he’s backtracking faster than a politician caught in a scandal, according to the NY Post.
Let’s break it down: Benioff initially floated the idea of federal troops in an interview, only to apologize publicly on Friday after facing sharp backlash from local leaders and allies, while also pointing to the safe hosting of Salesforce’s massive Dreamforce conference as proof the city doesn’t need such drastic measures.
Last week, in a chat with The New York Times, Benioff threw out the notion of bringing in the National Guard to combat crime in San Francisco. He even lamented the shortage of police officers, implying the city couldn’t handle its own safety. It’s a fair concern—public safety matters—but calling for federal boots on the ground? That’s a big swing.
Local leaders weren’t having it, and who can blame them? Mayor Daniel Lurie and District Attorney Brooke Jenkins pushed back, highlighting that crime rates in San Francisco are at a 70-year low. Maybe Benioff missed the memo, but facts should trump feelings, even for a CEO.
The controversy didn’t just simmer—it boiled over during Salesforce’s annual Dreamforce conference, which drew about 50,000 attendees this week. Tensions flared as prominent figures like venture capitalist Ron Conway, a heavyweight Democratic donor, stepped down from the Salesforce Foundation board in protest. That’s not just a slap on the wrist; it’s a full-on public rebuke.
Even entertainers got in on the action—or rather, out of it. Comedians Kumail Nanjiani and Ilana Glazer pulled out of Dreamforce performances, with Salesforce citing illness, though their past criticism of Trump’s policies raises eyebrows. David Spade stepped in to close the event, but the damage was already done.
Despite the drama, Dreamforce was hailed as the largest and safest in its history. Benioff himself praised Mayor Lurie, the San Francisco Police Department, and city officials for pulling it off. If the city can handle an event of this scale, why the call for federal intervention in the first place?
Benioff’s apology on Friday seemed to acknowledge this disconnect. “Having listened closely to my fellow San Franciscans and our local officials, and after the largest and safest Dreamforce in our history, I do not believe the National Guard is needed to address safety in San Francisco,” he said. Sounds like a man who’s realized he overplayed his hand.
But let’s not pretend this is just about safety. Benioff’s comments tapped into a broader frustration many of us feel about progressive policies that seem to prioritize ideology over practicality in cities like San Francisco. Still, federal troops? That’s a solution looking for a problem.
The pile-on didn’t stop with local officials. Laurene Powell Jobs, founder of the Emerson Collective, took to the Wall Street Journal to critique Benioff’s views on charity and influence, suggesting his generosity comes with strings attached. It’s a sharp jab at a man who’s funded hospitals, schools, and homeless services in the city.
“Giving that expects control is anything but generous,” Powell Jobs wrote. Ouch—that’s the kind of line that cuts deep, especially for someone like Benioff, who’s positioned himself as a pillar of the community. Is it fair to paint his philanthropy as transactional, or is this just elite infighting?
Benioff, for his part, has described himself as bouncing between independent and moderate Republican leanings. That’s a tough tightrope to walk in a city as left-leaning as San Francisco, where even a whiff of conservative thought can get you shunned. Perhaps his initial remarks were a cry for common-sense governance, not a full MAGA manifesto.
Amid the uproar, Salesforce announced a hefty $15 billion investment over five years to boost artificial intelligence initiatives in San Francisco. That’s a serious commitment to the city’s future, and it might just smooth over some ruffled feathers. Money talks, after all, even in a town skeptical of corporate influence.
Benioff’s misstep shows even the biggest names can stumble when wading into policy debates. His apology and the success of Dreamforce suggest he’s learned a lesson: San Francisco may have its flaws, but it’s not a war zone needing federal cavalry. Let’s hope this sparks a real conversation about safety and solutions, not just soundbites.
